Rice’s Shepherd School Symphony tours in February, makes Carnegie debut
In February 2014, Rice University’s Shepherd School Symphony Orchestra will embark on its first East Coast tour, which includes the ensemble’s Carnegie Hall debut on February 18; tour tickets go on sale today (Mon, Nov 18). The Carnegie program will feature Christopher Rouse’s Violin Concerto with soloist Cho-Liang Lin, who is Professor of Violin at the Shepherd School. Lin premiered the Rouse concerto – dedicated to him by the composer – at the Aspen Festival in 1992, and Musical America named Lin Instrumentalist of the Year in 2000. The tour itinerary also features a stop at Baltimore’s Meyerhoff Symphony Hall on February 15, with that concert’s program including Rachmaninoff’s ever-popular Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini with soloist Jon Kimura Parker, who is Professor of Piano at the Shepherd School and has been praised by the Houston Chronicle for his “artful” and “impassioned” playing. Both the Baltimore and Carnegie programs will include Berlioz’s Le corsaire overture and Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra, with Larry Rachleff conducting. As the Shepherd School’s Director of Orchestras and Walter Kris Hubert Professor of Music, Rachleff has built one of the nation’s pre-eminent orchestral programs. Prior to going on tour, the Shepherd School Symphony will perform both tour programs at the ensemble’s home hall in Houston, on February 8 and 13.
“The Shepherd School is incredibly proud to be making symphonic debuts on these renowned concert stages in Baltimore and New York,” said Robert Yekovich, Dean of the Shepherd School and the Elma Schneider Professor of Music. “This privilege affirms the Shepherd School’s rank within the highest echelon of collegiate-level orchestral programs. Moreover, the honor speaks to the exceptional artistry of our students and faculty.”
The Shepherd School
Founded in 1975, the Shepherd School has built a reputation as one of the nation’s finest university-level music programs. In its relatively short history, the School has amassed a pre-eminent group of artist-teachers, attracting the most promising young musicians in training from around the world. The Shepherd School Symphony Orchestra, under the artistic direction of Larry Rachleff, is widely regarded as one of the premier student orchestras in the country.
Larry Rachleff
Conductor-educator Larry Rachleff is renowned for his rich, productive rapport with orchestra musicians. He has served as principal conducting teacher for the American Symphony Orchestra League, the Conductors’ Guild and the International Workshop for Conductors in the Czech Republic. As an advocate of contemporary music, he has collaborated with such leading composers as Samuel Adler, Luciano Berio, George Crumb, Michael Daugherty and John Harbison.
Along with being the Walter Kris Hubert Professor of Music and Music Director of the Shepherd School Symphony Orchestra and Shepherd School Chamber Orchestra, Rachleff serves as music director of the Rhode Island Philharmonic. He has also been music director of the San Antonio Symphony. His recent and upcoming engagements include the Houston Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Utah Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, Kansas City Symphony, Phoenix Symphony, Dayton Philharmonic and Toledo Symphony, among many others. Summer festival engagements include Tanglewood, Aspen, Interlochen, Chautauqua and Brevard, as well as Music Academy of the West, Italy’s Opera Theatre of Lucca and the Grand Teton Music Festival.
Shepherd School Orchestra on tour, February 2014
Saturday, Feb 15, 7:30 p.m.
Baltimore, MD
Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall
Hector Berlioz: Le corsaire, Op. 21
Sergei Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43 – Jon Kimura Parker, piano
Bela Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra
Shepherd Symphony School Orchestra; Larry Rachleff, conductor
Tuesday, Feb 18, 8:00 p.m.
New York, NY
Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium
Hector Berlioz: Le corsaire, Op. 21
Christopher Rouse: Violin Concerto – Cho-Liang Lin, violin
Bela Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra
Shepherd School Symphony Orchestra; Larry Rachleff, conductor
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Amy Hodges
Senior Media Relations Specialist
Office of Public Affairs, Rice University
(713) 348-6777
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© 21C Media Group, November 2013